Community Not Settled After Murder

Cross Burning Latest Sign

MATHEWS — Ill will is still smoldering in the lower part of the county over the slaying last month of Ralph Haywood, whose son is accused of killing him.

The latest sign that things have not yet returned to normal was a charred cross found Wednesday morning in front of the New Point home of a girlfriend of a Haywood relative.

Acknowledging that bad blood remains, Sheriff Kenneth H. Jordan Jr. said the crudely constructed cross in front of the home of Chris Williams had apparently been set on fire the night before.

"She was worried about what did I think it meant," said Jordan. "I told her I didn't think it meant anything."

A week earlier, on the night of June 6, Gerald Taylor found a burning cross stuck in front of the home he was renting on Route 686 near Susan.

The communities of New Point, Susan and Bavon, where the slaying occurred, are within about four miles of each other in the southern tip of the county.

Taylor is one of several friends of Ralph Haywood's son, Carlton, who were at the scene when a dispute between the father and son escalated into an all-out fight.

According to the sheriff and witnesses, the 64-year-old father and 24-year-old son first wrestled, then the father stabbed the son a number of times with a pocket knife. After he had been stabbed, the son ran and pulled a 12-gauge shotgun out of his trailer and shot his father in the back.

The dispute apparently stemmed from the father's dislike for Carlton's friends. According to the sheriff, some Haywood family members are holding the friends accountable for the killing.

The day after the May 31 slaying, Robert Hoover Haywood, who Jordan said is the boyfriend of Chris Williams, was charged with maiming Danny Manning, one of the friends who was at the trailer at the time of the incident.

Haywood filed a counter-charge of maiming against Manning, Jordan said.

The sheriff added that Manning had failed to appear for a hearing on the charge Monday and thus could face an added charge of contempt of court.

Carlton Haywood has been charged with first-degree murder and is being held without bond at the Regional Security Center in Saluda.

Jordan said he believes that the two cross burnings are "a bunch of kid stuff."

Nevertheless, he said he is investigating the incidents and would bring felony charges if he finds out who was responsible.

"I'd let the court decide whether it's fun and games or not," he said.

Jordan said he has told people on both sides of the dispute not to cause any more trouble.

"I tried to tell them to leave it lay, leave it where it's at and let the law take its course," he said.